OREANDA-NEWS. The European Investment Bank surpassed the EUR 1bn mark in signed loans in Slovakia in 2015, an increase of 87% over the previous year. The bank focused mainly on co-financing priority projects receiving support from EU funds.

EIB Vice-President L?szl? Baranyay, responsible for the Bank’s operations in Central European countries, presented the results in Bratislava today and pledged to maintain the high level of involvement in Slovakia over the next few years.

“2015 was a successful year for the EIB in Slovakia. Our signatures reached EUR 1.042bn – the best result in five years,” stated Vice-President Baranyay, adding that the EIB Group had enhanced its presence and visibility on the Slovak market by opening a representative office in Bratislava. “In the coming years, we will focus on catalysing private capital and implementing projects entailing higher risks,” he concluded.

Two flagship signatures in 2015 were:

  • a loan of EUR 600m to cover the national co-financing contribution to priority projects financed from EU funds in the areas of R&D, the information society, human resources, the environment and public administration,  with a total project cost of up to EUR 14.2bn;
  • a loan of EUR 350m to support strategic transport infrastructure investment identified in Slovakia’s national Transport Master Plan, with a total project cost of up to EUR 4.7bn.

The EIB also made EUR 92m of new funding available to Slovak banks and leasing companies. These long-term credit lines will be used to finance projects carried out by SMEs and mid-size companies to reduce the impact of the economic crisis.

One of the loans, EUR 15m to Slovensk? Z?ru?n? a Rozvojov? Banka, a. s., is aimed at supporting the implementation of youth employment initiatives to help young people find sustainable jobs.